Piano.



S. HORNBEUK.

V PIANO. APPLICATION TILED MAY 24, 1910.

993,777. Patented May 80, 1911.

UNITED sTArEs PATENT orrron HENRY S. HORNBEGK, 0F ELIZABETHyNEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE M. .NEWCOMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed May 24, 1910. Serial No. 563,088.

to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to means for controlling the position of the hammer rest rail, particularly in pneumatic player pianos, for the purpose of varying the throw of the hammers to regulate the strength of tone produced. I

The invention is particularly applicable to player pianos of the general character of that shown in Letters Eatent or" the United States No. 951,276, dated March s, 1910, in

which the main rest rail has mounted thereon, so as to be movable therewith toward and from the hammers, a series of small pneumatics or bellows, each of which carries a shortsectional rest rail to cooperate with a small group of hammers, sothat all of the sectional rest rails can be moved together toward the hammers to limit the throw thereof, and any one or more of 'the'pnenmatics v plainedfrhereinafter with reference to the can be collapsed to permit the corresponding hammers to have their full throw for the pur ose of pro uced.

, .In the present invention the pneumatics which carry the sectional rest rails, instead of being mounted upon the main rest rail, to move there with, are hinged upon the stationary rest rail and 'are swung together toward the hammers by a common'bar, and are severally collapsible to permit the hammers of the corresponding groups to have their full throw. I I

The invention will be more fully ex-\ accompanying drawing,in which it is illustrated, and in which:

Figure I, is a view in front elevation showing twogroups of. hammers with their corresponding pneumatics and their .sup-

porting and operatingdevices; andFig. II,

is a view thereof in transverse section.

permitting a solo effect to be- In the embodiment of the invention illus trated in the drawin the hammers a are mounted and arrange to be operated in the usual manner. Upon the supporting frame work 6 is mounted a stationarygrest rail 0 each of which bears upon the front or relatively movable member thereof a sectional rest rail f which-is adapted tocooperate with a small group of hammers. Each of the pneumatics, being normally expanded as usual, is connected by a flexible tube 9 with the vacuum system, not ,necemary to be shown. The several pneumatics rest at their backs against a movable bar it which is shown as hung by arms '5 from the supporting frame work, and as adapted to be moved toward the strings d to carry all of the pneumatics together toward the strings, and thereby to limit the throw'of all of the hammers by an arm is and a vertically movable rod Z which may be operated by any suitable means.

, It will now be understood that if it. is desirable to produce a solo effect the bar 71.; is moved toward the strings, carrying with. it all of the pneumatics 6, thereby reducing the throw of the hammers and correspond-" ingly reduce the strength of the tone produced, and that one or another of the pneumatics e, as selected by the performer,

through devices which may be similar to those described in said Letters Patent No. 951,27 6 orv through other suitable devices, is collapsed to cause the corresponding sectional rest rail f to move away from the.- strings to permit the correspondmg hammers to have their full throw so that. the correposition at their maximum distance sponding tones are produced with normal strength.

It will be understood that various changes in details of "construction and arrangement may be made to suit difierent conditionsof use,- and that the invention is not restricted to the recise construction shown and .described erein.

I claim as my invention: I 21'. In a .piano the combination hammers of a stationary bar, a series of pneumatics hinged to said bar, sectional rest rails carried in said pneumatics, and means to move all 0 said pneumatics together towith the ward the hammers to limit the throw thereof.

'2. In a piano the combination with the, hammers of a stationar bar, a series ofpneumatics hinged to sai bar, sectional rest (m (fl-1 rails carried by said neumatics, a movable bar against which all of said neumatics rest, and means to move said bar toward the strings to limit the throw of the hammers.

In a piano the combination With the hammers of a stationary bar, a series of neumatics hinged to said bar sectional rest rails carried by said neumatics, a movable bar against which the neumatics rest, arms by which the movable bar is hung from the supporting frame and means to swing the movable bar toward the strings carrying with it the pneumatics to limit the throw of the hammers.

4. In a piano the combination with the hammers of a stationary rest rail, pneumatids hinged to said rest rail, sectional rest rails carried by the neumatics and means to swing all of the pneumatics together to- Ward the strings to limit the throw of the hammers.

This specification witnessed this 23d day of May, A. ll, 1910. I

HENRY S. HOBNBECK.

Signed in the presence of M. RIEDLING, N. A. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

